Rebuilding Schools, Restoring Futures |
Four years have passed since the devastating floods of 2022 left deep and painful marks on Pakistan, with Sindh among the worst-affected provinces. The disaster damaged homes, roads, crops, health facilities, public infrastructure and thousands of schools on an alarming scale.
According to official figures, around 19,808 schools across Sindh were damaged during the 2022 floods. Thousands of these schools were either completely destroyed or partially damaged. In different reconstruction and rehabilitation packages, more than 5,000 schools have been taken up for repair, reconstruction and rehabilitation. Education sector updates indicate that around 5,243 schools are being rebuilt or rehabilitated under the Build Back Better approach, with nearly 1.3 million students expected to benefit.
The 2022 floods exposed the vulnerability of school infrastructure in Sindh. In many districts, school buildings were not strong enough to face extreme rainfall, standing water and flood pressure. Some schools lost roofs, some lost classrooms, some suffered cracks in walls, while many had damaged washrooms, furniture, drinking water facilities and boundary walls. The damage was especially painful because many of these schools were serving children from rural, low-income and climate-vulnerable communities. When such schools are damaged, the impact is not limited to infrastructure. It directly affects attendance, enrolment, girls’ education, student retention and the confidence of parents in the public education system. The Government of Sindh responded to this challenge by placing school rehabilitation within a broader recovery and development framework. The focus was not only on repairing old structures but also on rebuilding better, safer and more climate-resilient facilities.
Education sector updates indicate that around 5,243........